HC Deb 22 November 1979 vol 974 cc341-2W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to which housing bodies his Department sent a copy of its letter of 30 October about possible changes to order 26 of the county court rules on the recovery of possession of premises; to what effect changes are being proposed to order 26 of the county court rules; and what representations, and from whom, he has had concerning changes to order 26 of the county court rules.

Mr. Stanley

The bodies that have been consulted by my Department on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department about possible changes to order 26 of the county court rules are as follows:

  • The Association of County Councils
  • The Association of Metropolitan Authorities
  • The Association of District Councils
  • The Greater London Council
  • The London Boroughs Association
  • The British Property Federation
  • The Small Landlords Association
  • The National Association of Private Landlords
  • The Country Landowners' Association
  • The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
  • The National Consumer Council
  • Shelter
  • London Housing Aid Centre (SHAC)
  • Campaign for Single, Homeless People (CHAR)
  • The Association of Housing Aid
  • The Institute of Housing
  • The National Tenants' Organisation
  • The National Federation of Housing Associations
  • The New Towns Association.

The county court rules, and the effects of possible changes to them, are a matter for the county court rules committee and my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor. However, the main purpose of the proposed changes is to restrict the use of part I of order 26 so that it can be used only against squatters, and to extend part II to enable landlords with an undisputed right to recover possession to obtain a speedy hearing by the same procedure as is now available for the recovery of rent.

Comments on the proposed changes were requested by 30 November. So far, the Department has received one response, from the Association of County Councils.